(CNN) - Rick Santorum blasted President Barack Obama's administration as "elite" for dismissing the so-called Ryan Plan, using a word that tends to play well with conservative audiences.

"Don't you see how they see you? How they look down their nose at the average American. These elite snobs," Santorum said Tuesday, drawing big applause at a major rally in Boise, Idaho.

The proposal, a Medicare overhaul plan authored by House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, drew heavy criticism from Democrats last year, as it proposed replacing direct federal coverage for those over 55 with subsidies in which seniors could purchase health insurance themselves.

"They don't believe you can make these decisions. They need to make these decisions for you," Santorum said, referring to the Obama administration.

Speaking to much fanfare at the Boise rally, Santorum also spent considerable time talking about Iran and pointed to a report by national intelligence director, James Clapper, that said Iran may be willing to sponsor future attacks on U.S. soil.

With that in mind, Santorum emphasized the need to control U.S. borders, which he said are "40% secure," to protect the country from "drugs, violence and jihadists."

He cited a convesation in Texas last week with a border agent, who reportedly told him the state has captured Spanish-speaking Arabs and Muslims.

"This should not be a surprise. There's all sorts of evidence of jihadists training camps all throughout Central and South America," Santorum said.

soundoff(47 Responses)

mk1

I suppose he thinks he knows what that is considering all he has to do is look into a mirror and and elite snob looks right back. Only an elite snob would try to dictate his personal religious beliefs on the rest of the country. He is so up tight about religious freedoms, well, how about the rest of us being religiously free from his beliefs. As others have said, sure sounds like Christian sharia law to me. Truly unAmerican.

February 15, 2012 12:49 am at 12:49 am |

Please

Would he please just be quiet. Elitist? I guess having and MBA and JD and several million dollar homes makes you average.

February 15, 2012 12:50 am at 12:50 am |

Curtis

He should be slamming Romney, he's worth a quarter of a billion dollars, Obama is not worth near that much.

February 15, 2012 12:54 am at 12:54 am |

ThinkAgain

"Elite snobs"? Unlike the so-called Christians who think only they are going to heaven and should dictate what everyone else should believe and do?

Sanitorium is pathetic!

February 15, 2012 12:59 am at 12:59 am |

ThinkAgain

If President Obama and Democrats "look down their nose at the average American," then why did their economic policies keep our country from going into a Great Depression?

Ricky, all you and the GOP have to offer our country is lies, fear, hatred and division, along with economic, military and foreign policies that are all PROVEN FAILURES.

Your "base" may eat up this silly rhetoric, but people who actually have a working brain DO NOT.

And if having a working brain is your definition of "elite," then you're just plain pathetic!

February 15, 2012 01:03 am at 1:03 am |

migeli

The only elite snobs are some democrats and a lot of republicans who have no interest in helping the poor and middle class in this country.They muddle the important issues with religion and other nonsense instead of offering some constructive ideas and working together.Throw the Tea Party out. That would be the first step in the right direction.

February 15, 2012 01:11 am at 1:11 am |

ThinkAgain

"They don't believe you can make these decisions. They need to make these decisions for you," Santorum said, referring to the Obama administration.

And yet Ricky says that if elected POTUS, he would reinstate Don't Ask, Don't Tell; pass a Constitutional Amendment defining marriage as between one woman and one man; overturn Roe v Wade; and institute changes to our legal system that "follow God's laws."

In other words, Sanitorium wants to establish a theocracy based on his narrow interpretation of the Bible and Christianity. And yet, he believes this in no way would be the government "making decisions for you."

The hypocrisy of Ricky and his followers is mind-boggling.

The only sane choice: Obama/Biden 2012

February 15, 2012 01:12 am at 1:12 am |

martin cavanaugh porter

Politicians from the right or the left who demean our politics by name calling and personal attacks on their adversaries should not be rewarded with our support.

Senator Santorum is a man with a finite ability to communicate passion positively. As someone who considers himself in some ways a tradionalist, I think its too bad that this year the Republican Party has no positivist voice able to articulate reason why one would vote for traditional values as opposed to just simply voting against Obama.

The party of Reagen, Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt seems to have become inhabited by small, pandering, indecently inarticulate politicians and our country is far poorer for this.

February 15, 2012 01:32 am at 1:32 am |

Dan 5404

And his opinion means little to anyone except extreme right-wingers and evangelicals.

February 15, 2012 01:39 am at 1:39 am |

Miguel R.

Here goes Ricky again flapping those lips with his insults instead of giving the people some substance! Oh wait... He has nothing of any substance to say he rather spew hate! Repulicans would be crazy to vote for this fringe canidate or anyohter canidate on the current GOP ticket! What a bunch of bozos!

February 15, 2012 01:47 am at 1:47 am |

cali girl

Look who is calling the kettle, the party of no! Such hypocrits. You rail against the President on every single issue. What about your boy McConnel throwing a fit like a 2 year old about the budget even before the ink was dry.

February 15, 2012 01:48 am at 1:48 am |

Marry

What has Santorum done in his life to serve his country? Nothing, always only serving himself!
Being the incompetent and insincere person Santorum is, no surprise that he (include the rest of the “candidates” and the GOP/TP!) is burning with envy and spite towards a classy, intelligent man that has everything positive he does not, including the Presidency! And he surely knows and cannot stomach – with what has become of the GOP/TP – President Obama will be reelected!

February 15, 2012 01:53 am at 1:53 am |

OrangeW3dge

Marketing knows no bounds

February 15, 2012 02:23 am at 2:23 am |

Matt

SO wait, if they're calling Harvard graduates elitist snobs, then that must meant hey think that school isn't good, worth it, etc. So that also means that they think being uneducated, and an expert smack talker qualifies you for office, and that those 'nerds' are the bottom of the barrel. They even used the term when speaking about a bill on the Internet, "Let's being the nerds in". You want elitist Santorum? Look int he mirror. That sht is earned, not taken, poser.

February 15, 2012 02:25 am at 2:25 am |

logicnLA

Elite- the "Elite" 1% of the earners in this country? Mostly Republicans. The"Elite" top corporate and banking CEO's – mostly Repulbicans. The"Elite" media? ALL the majors but one run by conservatives. Those "Elite" educated at top 5% of colleges? Mixed by both conservatives and liberals. So when Santorum and Gingrich mention "The Elite" – they mean their friends. Hey Newt- how's that 750k credit imit at Tifany's looking? any better than the second one for 500k?

February 15, 2012 02:31 am at 2:31 am |

chuck weidemann

Just what we need in a leader...someone who uses hate and ridicule to try and convince you to elect them. No thanks!

February 15, 2012 02:48 am at 2:48 am |

Thomas

Why doesn’t Rick Santorum want to protect other people’s right to compensation if they’re victims of medical malpractice?

Rick voted to prevent Americans from getting just compensation for their pain and suffering caused by medical malpractice
But that didn’t keep Rick’s wife from suing a Virginia chiropractor for a half million dollars in “pain and suffering”
Pretty hypocritical, since that’s twice as much as the cap on such damages that his own legislation would have allowed others to receive
Rick calls their own lawsuit a “private family matter,” but doesn’t seem to think everyone else’s family deserves the same rights and respect

February 15, 2012 02:54 am at 2:54 am |

Cam Spurgeon

Who is talking class warfare now if not Santorum..What a choice you have given us.The new leader of the clown express. How do we get term limits on the national ballots. Two terms for Congress, one 6 yr term for President, No big retirement or medical plans..Let them get a real job and earn those things after they go home.Again how do we get it on the national ballot?

February 15, 2012 03:11 am at 3:11 am |

Maltese Falcon

Oh, great, Santorum vs. O'Bama. They'll probably vote for Santorum by a small margin. Like they did with Nixon, Reagan, or Bush (after Clinton). Then religious Santorum will claim that he has a mandate for another 10 years of crusade against the Islamic countries. That should eliminate Amerika as the leader of the modern countries.

February 15, 2012 03:18 am at 3:18 am |

steve

Looks who is calling the kettle black? Churc FREAK

February 15, 2012 03:44 am at 3:44 am |

DixonIV

Isn't this guy in the party that thinks anyone who is poor are just lazy and all union members are thugs? I always laugh when I hear a republican candidate call anyone an elitist. These republicans look down their noses at anyone who is different than they are.

February 15, 2012 04:44 am at 4:44 am |

John

Rick Santorum are dumb because the Paul Ryan sucks.

February 15, 2012 05:03 am at 5:03 am |

GaryB

As a small business owner, I've had to purchase health insurance on the open market for the last nine years. Based on my experience, I can tell you that any politician (like Ryan or Santorum) that tells you that you that seniors would be better off purchasing their insurance on the open market is either ignorant or flat out lying. Health insurance is my second most expensive monthly bill (only my mortgage is higher), I have a huge deductible and my insurance plan hardly covers anything. Can you imagine how much more expensive that lousy coverage would be for a senior citizen?

February 15, 2012 05:27 am at 5:27 am |

Blindersoff

Typical republican, break out the fear, create a chaotic situation and pretend to come to it's own rescue. Santorum is an amateur and a phony, playing conservative dress up in his little vest set! LOL.